[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 176 (Thursday, November 17, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR FROM THE COMMUNITY

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 17, 2011

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize eight true 
American heroes from my community: From Bucks County, William Bond, 
William Clarke, Russell Hoff, John Masko and James Reily; from 
Montgomery County, Donald Lewis and Edgar Waite, Jr.; and from 
Burlington County, New Jersey, Al Romanowski. I am honored to address 
you and I want to take this opportunity now to personally thank each 
one of them for extra-
ordinary service to our Nation.
  It is because of men like these that America has the strongest, most 
professional military in history and the freedoms that we enjoy today. 
Some may say our military strength is due to our technological and 
weapon superiority, but, as General George S. Patton said, ``Wars may 
be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of 
men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.''
  The men and women who make up our Nation's armed forces are the most 
dedicated, most patriotic, and most courageous soldiers. They are 
unwilling to accept anything less than mission success.
  During the Second World War, our countrymen joined the fight to 
eradicate the insidious spread of Nazism and Fascism across Europe and 
Asia. Over 16 million Americans served during World War II. 416,837 
made the ultimate sacrifice for their nation during this war. Your 
service helped shape the world we see today, a world with America's 
beacon of freedom still shining proudly.
  Tens of thousands of others were captured and subjected to harsh 
conditions and rough treatment as prisoners of war. Since World War I, 
over 142,000 Americans have been captured and interned as prisoners of 
war. There are nearly 30,000 former POWs that are still living--with 
almost 90 percent of those having been captured during World War II. 
The brave service members I honor today make up just eight names of 
those 30,000--but they have had a significant impact within our local 
communities. William Clarke and James Reily had been crew members on B-
17 bombers that were shot down over enemy territory. The others were 
with infantry units that were captured by enemy forces.
  Our Nation is thankful for their service and I remain committed to 
providing those who have sacrificed so much with the highest quality 
care and all the benefits that they deserve. George Washington said, 
``The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in 
any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how 
they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated 
by their nation.'' Today, a new generation of brave men and women, 
inspired by their legacy of service and sacrifice, has answered the 
call to defend America from the new global threat of terrorism.
  I thank Catherine ``Cay'' Burns for her dedication and leadership as 
Commander, for more than 32 years, of the American Ex-Prisoners of War 
Liberty Bell Chapter. Cay's late husband, Leroy Burns, was a former 
American prisoner of war who joined the Army shortly after World War II 
began. He conducted his basic training at what is now Fort Dix. He 
served in the North Africa campaign and was captured in 1944 when his 
unit was overrun by German forces in Italy. Cay's tireless work has 
been instrumental in the creation of this memorial grove honoring the 
former prisoners of war from our community.
  Furthermore, I thank the students of Bucks County Technical High 
School and their teacher Steve Whitmore. These students played a 
fundamental role in providing the stone plaques that now honor the 
service and sacrifice of the eight remaining former prisoners of war 
from our community. There was a shortage of funding available, but 
these students volunteered their time to turn the memorial grove into a 
reality.
  Again, one final thanks to William Bond, William Clarke, Russell 
Hoff, John Masko and James Reily, Donald Lewis, Edgar Waite, Jr., and 
Al Romanowski for their service and sacrifice as former American 
prisoners of war. They are true protectors of liberty in this world and 
their dedication to a grateful Nation will never be forgotten.

                          ____________________